Relay structure



Aug. 5, 1947. F. E. wo'oo RELAY swauc'wnz Original Filed Sept. 21, 1942 FIG. l

33 INSULATION FIG. 2

INSULATIO INSULATION INSULATION mmvrm FREDRIC E. wooo ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 5, 1947 UNITED v sTATEs 2,425,275 1 i RELAY STRUCTURE Fredric E. Wood, Oak Park, 111., assignor to Automatic Electric Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Original application September 21, 1942, Serial No. 459,121. Divided and this application January 20,1945, Serial No. 573,676 1 Y is to provide an improved method of and means:

for mounting a movable armature upon the field coreof. a switch of the electromagnetic type. A further object isto provide a switch of this type comprising a movable armature which isl-mounted upon and insulated fromthe field structure of the switch by improved fastening means. Still another object is to provide an improved, switch of. the electromagnetic type. comprising amagnetic core and afield element in combinationwith a movable armature which ispivotally jmount'ed upon the field element .by a novel arrangement in cluding a1 .sin'gle fastening member. Other obpects relate to various features of construction 1 which will appear more fullyhereinafter.

j The invention, both as to its organization and; f method of operation, together with'further "ob- Jects and advantages ther'eo'L'will best be'understood byreference to. the" following specification taken in connection with the accompanying'drawmg. Inthe drawing, I

Figure 1 is a plan view of an ele trcimagnetic relay incorporating switch structure enibo'dying; 80

Fig. 2 is a side: eievational view of. the relay the present invention;

shown in Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is-a fragmentary side elevational view,

I partly in sectiomof the relay; and a Fig. 51 is an enlarged sectional view, taken along the line l-lin Fig. 1, oi a portion of the switch structure incorporated in the relay. v v I Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 1,

inclusive, oi the drawing, the electromagnetic relay there shown comprises a magnetic core l carrying a winding il, a substantially L-shaped magnetic field lement [2 secured to the core I0,

and a movable magnetic armature l3 pivotally mounted on the outer end of the field element i2 and cooperating with the outer end of the cure it. More particularly, a nonmagnetic shim l2a formed of bronze or the like is carried on the upper surface of the field element i2 adjacent the outer end thereof, and a pivot pin I4 is rotatably mounted on the upper surface of the shim I 2a by an arrangement comprising a clamping member IS, a washer l8 and a screw H, the pivot pinit being arranged in a transverse slot |5a formed in the clamping member IS. The screw I1 extends through aligned holes provided in the p 4 Claims. (Cl. 175-336) 2 V washer IS, the clamping member and the shim 12a, and the outer end thereof is received in an aligned tapped hole providedin the field element 12 adjacent the outer end thereof. 'Also, adown- 5- wardly bent tab 'i'6ais formed integrally with the washer l6 and extends through a recess [5b formed in the clamping member i5 into aligned openings provided in the shim l2a'and the field element l2, thereby positively to prevent relative motion between the clampingmember i5 and the field element 12. Preferably, the pivot pm Hi, the clamping member .I 5, the washer l6 and the screw 1 l are ;all formed of non-magnetic :,material in order to prevent these elements from interfering with; the magnetic flux pathbetween the field element l2-and1thearmature l3.

,F 'urt her, Jthearmature 7 13 carries a pair of j. spaced-apart andinwardly' directed ar'msi8 dispose "d on the oppositesides' of the field element i2 and'provid'ed with aligned hole'stherein which re- 'cjeive'the opposite outer ends of the pivot pin H, the opposite-outer ends of thepivot pin It be ;ing flanged over" in order rigidly tosecure the pivot pin H'to'the arms i8 and consequently to the armature l3. -'Also,"the arms are providecl with inturned' operating projections ita'which overliethe uppersuriace 0f the shim 12a and :co'operatewith switch structure i9 carried by the fieldjelementjfll More-particularly, the switch structure -'l9 comprises aplurality of individual flexible metallic "switch or contact springs 2!), 2!, etc., arranged in two stacks and respectively secured to the field element l2v by two pairs of -1screws;22, and 23. More specifically, the base ends of the springs 20,- 2l, etc., in each stack are spaced apart and insulated from each other by a plurality of interposed insulating sheets 24 which 'arefretained in clamped position between a clamping. plate 25 and the field element l2 by the two pairs of screws 22 and 23. For example, the pairof screws 22 extends through two sets of aligned holes formed in the clamping plate 25, the insulating sheets 24 and the base ends of the contactsp'rings 20, 2|,etc. I v g j Preferably, in each stack, the two adjacent contactsprings constituting a cooperating pair. such, for example, as the individual contact springs 20 and 2|, are constructed and arranged in the manner disclosed'in U. S. Patent No. 2,272,496,

Fredric E; 'Wood. granted February 10, 1942.

Accordingly, the contact spring 20 has a substantially Y configuration, the outer free end thereof being split to provide two diverging arms; while ,-the contact spring 2i has a closed ovate-lanceolate slot formed therein near its free end in 3 order to provide diverging and converging arms. the converging arms being connected together at theextremeireeendoitheswitchspringbys curved operating portion Ila. Also. the two divergingannsortheswitohspringilcarrytwo' oi'eachbushingflisprovided conicalsectionwhichisinsertsdintothe shapedflxturefl.

operates directly either the adjacent contact spring; while the bushing carried by the last-mentioned contact spring engages the inturned operating projection ilo carried by the arm ll oi' the armature II. whereby the armature is and the pivot pin it secured 'thereto are rotated in the counterclockwise direction. in'an obvious manner. More particularly. the pivot pin it rotates in the transverse slot Ila formed in the clamping member II, the adjacent upper surface of the shim Ila serving also as a bearing therefor. Also. at this time. the various metallic contacts carried by the contact springs 2|. 2|, etc.. are moved into normal circuit positions. when the winding ii of the relay is energized, the armature II is attracted toward the core II by the magnetic flux produced in the held structure, whereby the armature ll and the pivot pin it secured thereto are rotated in the clockwise direction, in an obvious manner. This rotation oi Qie armature in the clockwise direction causes the inturned operating projection ila carried by the arm it to act upon the bushing carried by the associated contact spring and through the operating portion, of the contact spring mentioned upon the bushing as and consequently upon the contact spring Ii. Accordlow. the contact springs mentioned are flexed.

4 whereby the various metallic contacts carried by the contact springs II, ii, etc., are moved into operatedclrcuitpositio'ns.

ltisnotedthattheendoitheshim flaunderlyingtheprojections ldacarriedbythesrms it of the armature it prevents the projections mentionediromstieungtotheadjacantsuriace ortneneidelementllduetoleakage iiuxtherebetween.

Whiieonetoitheinventionhas besndisclosemitwillbeunderstoodthatvarious modiiicationsmaybemadethereimanditismtendedtocoverintheappendedelaimsallsooh modifications as tall within'the true spirit and scopeottheinvention.

Iclaim: LInanhavingacoreanda neldmember.anon-magneticshimseatedonsaid neld'mcmber adjacent one endoisaid electromagnet. a clamping member mounted on said shim.anarmaturehavimapivotpinmoimted between said clamping member and saidshim. andmeansror securingsaid clampingmember andsaidshimto-saidileldmember.

alnanhavingaooreanda held member. a non-magnetic shim seated on said iield member adjacent one and or said electromaanet. a clamping member seated on said shimandhavingatransversereoessonitsinner side,apivotpinmolmtedinsaidreoess,anarmaturemonmtedonsaidpinandarrangedtocooperate with said core. and means for saidclampingmemberandsaidshimtosaidneid member.

llnanelectromagnethaviogacoreanda iieid member. a non-magnetic shim seated on said held member adjacent oneendoi'saidelectromagnet. a tiamping member mounted on said shim. an armatm-e pivotally mounted on said elampins member. said held member having an aperture therein. a washer seated on said clamping member and having a part extending over the end of said clamping member and engaging said aperture. and a iastening means for securing said washer and said clamping member to said held member.

4. In an electromagnet having a core and a held member, a non-magnetic shim seated on said new member adjacent one end of said electromagnet. a clamping member seated on said shim and having a transverse recess on its inner side. a pivot pin mounted in said recess. an armature mounted on said pin and arranged to cooperate with said core, said held member having an aperture therein. a washer seated on said clamping member and having a part me t ng said aperture. and a single fastening means for securing said washer. said clamping member and said shim to said field member.

me It. WOOD.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Erickson June 4. 1029 Number 

